Hydraulic line routing plate

ABSTRACT

A routing plate assembly is provided and includes a gearbox having an aft surface, first and second hydraulic components, a routing plate comprising a forward side affixable to the aft surface of the gearbox, an aft side to which the first and second hydraulic components are affixable and a body. The body is formed to define interfacial pathways by which the gearbox and the first and second hydraulic components are communicative.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/744,885filed Jun. 19, 2015. The entire contents of U.S. application Ser. No.14/744,885 are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to routing plate and, moreparticularly, to a routing plate for hydraulic lines between linereplaceable units (LRUs).

Hydraulic components on aircraft gearboxes are typically interconnectedvia internal cast cores in the gearbox or by external hydraulic plumbinglines. Cast cores present a problem with gearbox design as they addsignificant cost and complexity to the gearbox housing manufacture.External plumbing lines present issues with the removal of components,as separation of the external line is typically required to remove thecomponent, presenting additional interfaces for the potential ofexternal oil leakage. Also, there is significant effort in achievingcertification requirements with external plumbing lines due torequirements for survival in power plant fire zones.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

According to one aspect of the disclosure, a routing plate assembly isprovided and includes a gearbox having an aft surface, first and secondhydraulic components, a routing plate comprising a forward sideaffixable to the aft surface of the gearbox, an aft side to which thefirst and second hydraulic components are affixable and a body. The bodyis formed to define interfacial pathways by which the gearbox and thefirst and second hydraulic components are communicative.

According to additional or alternative embodiments, the routing plateassembly further includes a rotatable propeller shaft, an oil transfertube which is extendible from the gearbox, through the routing plate andinto the second hydraulic component, and a gas turbine engine configuredto generate rotational energy transmittable to the rotatable propellershaft by the gearbox to drive rotations of the rotatable propellershaft.

According to additional or alternative embodiments, the first hydrauliccomponent includes a propeller hydraulic control unit and the secondhydraulic component includes a fluid transfer bearing module.

According to additional or alternative embodiments, the propellerhydraulic control unit includes a gear pump element, a regulator valveand an electro-hydraulic servo valve.

According to additional or alternative embodiments, the interfacialpathways include a lube oil supply pathway running from the gearbox,through the routing plate and into the first hydraulic component.

According to additional or alternative embodiments, the interfacialpathways include a pump drive interface running from the gearbox,through the routing plate and into the first hydraulic component.

According to additional or alternative embodiments, the interfacialpathways include hydraulic pathways running from the propeller shaft,through the second component, through the routing plate and into thefirst component.

According to additional or alternative embodiments, the interfacialpathways includes a lube oil supply pathway running from the gearbox,through the routing plate and into the first hydraulic component, a pumpdrive interface running from the gearbox, through the routing plate andinto the first hydraulic component and hydraulic pathways running fromthe propeller shaft, through the second component, through the routingplate and into the first component.

According to additional or alternative embodiments, the routing plateassembly further includes a transfer tube disposed along one of theinterfacial pathways for first and second hydraulic componentcommunication. The transfer tube includes a first portion sealablydisposable in the routing plate and a second portion sealably disposablein the first or second hydraulic component.

According to another aspect of the disclosure, a routing plate assemblyis provided and includes a gearbox having an aft surface, first andsecond hydraulic components, a routing plate comprising a forward sideaffixable to the aft surface of the gearbox, an aft side to which thefirst and second hydraulic components are affixable and a body. The bodyis formed to define a first interfacial pathway by which the gearbox andthe first hydraulic component are mechanically communicative and secondinterfacial pathways by which the gearbox and the first and secondhydraulic components are fluidly communicative.

According to additional or alternative embodiments, the routing platefurther includes a transfer tube disposed along one of the interfacialpathways for first and second hydraulic component fluid communication.The transfer tube includes a first portion sealably disposable in therouting plate and a second portion sealably disposable in the first orsecond hydraulic component.

According to yet another aspect of the disclosure, a routing plate forhydraulic lines is provided and includes a forward side affixable to anaft gearbox surface, an aft side to which first and second hydrauliccomponents are affixable and a body extending between the forward andaft sides. The body is formed to define interfacial pathways by whichthe gearbox and the first and second hydraulic components arecommunicative.

According to additional or alternative embodiments, the forward and aftsides are parallel.

According to additional or alternative embodiments, the body includes afirst portion corresponding in location to a portion of the aft side towhich the first hydraulic component is affixable, a second portioncorresponding in location to a portion of the aft side to which thesecond hydraulic component is affixable and a third portion interposedbetween the first and second portions.

According to additional or alternative embodiments, the first portionhas a partially rectangular shape, the second portion has a partiallyrounded shape and the third portion is tapered from the first to thesecond portion.

According to additional or alternative embodiments, the interfacialpathways include a lube oil supply pathway running from the gearbox,through the first portion of the routing plate and into the firsthydraulic component.

According to additional or alternative embodiments, the interfacialpathways include a pump drive interface running from the gearbox,through the first portion of the routing plate and into the firsthydraulic component.

According to additional or alternative embodiments, the interfacialpathways include hydraulic pathways running from the second component,through the second, third and first portions of the routing plate andinto the first component.

According to additional or alternative embodiments, the interfacialpathways include a lube oil supply pathway running from the gearbox,through the first portion of the routing plate and into the firsthydraulic component, a pump drive interface running from the gearbox,through the first portion of the routing plate and into the firsthydraulic component and hydraulic pathways running from the secondcomponent, through the second, third and first portions of the routingplate and into the first component.

According to additional or alternative embodiments, the routing platefurther includes a transfer tube disposed along one of the interfacialpathways for first and second hydraulic component communication. Thetransfer tube includes a first portion sealably disposable in therouting plate and a second portion sealably disposable in the first orsecond hydraulic component.

These and other advantages and features will become more apparent fromthe following description taken in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The subject matter, which is regarded as the disclosure, is particularlypointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion ofthe specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages ofthe disclosure are apparent from the following detailed descriptiontaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a routing plate assembly for aircraftgearbox-mounted components in accordance with embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the routing plate assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the encircled portion of FIG. 2identified as view “A”;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the routing plate of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the routing plate taken along lineA-A of FIG. 4.

The detailed description explains embodiments of the disclosure,together with advantages and features, by way of example with referenceto the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

As will be described below, a routing plate is provided and has internalplumbing lines that can extend between gearbox mounted components. Therouting plate can be fastened to a back of the gearbox and provide forrequired hydraulic connections between components. The routing platealso provides for hydraulic connections at component interfaces as wellas a mounting feature for components. The routing plate eliminates aneed for complex internal cast cores in gearbox housings and minimizesdifficulties with certification requirements for components mounted infire zones.

With reference to FIGS. 1-5, a routing plate assembly 10 is provided andincludes a reduction gearbox (RGB) 20 that has a body 21 with a forwardsurface 22 and an aft surface 23 on opposite side of the body 21, afirst hydraulic component 30, a second hydraulic component 40 and arouting plate 50. The routing plate assembly 10 may be provided as partof an aircraft engine structure and may further include a propellershaft assembly 60, an oil transfer tube 70 and a gas turbine engine 80.The propeller shaft assembly 60 includes bearing elements 61 and arotatable propeller shaft 62 that is supported within the RGB 20 by thebearing elements 61 to extend beyond a plane of the forward surface 22.The oil transfer tube 70 extends forwardly beyond a distal forward endof the propeller shaft assembly 60 to a propeller actuator and aftwardlybeyond a plane of the aft surface 23, through a first bore 501 definedin the routing plate 50 and into a partial bore 401 defined in thesecond component 40. The gas turbine engine 80 is configured to generaterotational energy and power that is transmittable to the rotatablepropeller shaft 62 by way of gearing (e.g., reduction gearing) withinthe RGB 20 to drive rotations of the rotatable propeller shaft 62 abouta longitudinal axis thereof.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the routing plate 50 includes a body 51 witha forward side 52 and an aft side 53 substantially parallel with andopposite the forward side 52 (see FIG. 5). The forward side 52 isaffixable to the aft surface 23 of the RGB 20 by way of first fasteningelements 54 (see FIG. 2). The first and second hydraulic components 30and 40 are affixable to the aft side 53 by way of second fasteningelements 55 (see FIG. 2). The body 51 extends between the forward andaft sides 52 and 53 and is formed to define first interfacial pathways510 by which the RGB 20 and the first hydraulic component 30 aremechanically communicative with one another and second interfacialpathways 511 by which the RGB 20 and the first and second hydrauliccomponents 30 and 40 are each fluidly communicative with each other.

The body 51 includes a first (or upper) portion 512, a second (or lower)portion 513 and a third (or central) portion 514. The first portion 512thus corresponds in location to a portion of the aft side 53 to whichthe first hydraulic component 30 is affixable, the second portion 513thus corresponds in location to a portion of the aft side 53 to whichthe second hydraulic component 40 is affixable and the third portion 514is thus interposed between the first and second portions 512 and 513. Inaccordance with embodiments, the first portion 512 may have a partiallyrectangular shape 5120, the second portion 513 may have a partiallyrounded shape 5130 and the third portion 514 may be tapered from thelower edge of the first portion 512 to an upper edge of the secondportion 513 (see FIG. 4).

With reference back to FIGS. 1 and 2, the first hydraulic component 30may include a propeller hydraulic control unit 31 and the secondhydraulic component 40 may include a fluid transfer bearing module 41.The propeller hydraulic control unit 31 includes a gear pump element310, a regulator valve 311, which is coupled to the gear pump element310 via coupling first internal hydraulic line 312 and which controlsoperations of the gear pump element 310, and an electro-hydraulic servovalve 313. The electro-hydraulic servo valve 313 is coupled to theregulator valve 311 via a second internal hydraulic line 314 andcontrols hydraulic fluid pressures within, for example, a propellercontrol system.

The electro-hydraulic servo valve 313 is further coupled to first andsecond internal hydraulic pathways 90 and 91 through which a fluid, suchas oil, flows in first and second opposite directions. The first andsecond internal hydraulic pathways 90 and 91 run from theelectro-hydraulic servo valve 313, through a body of the first hydrauliccomponent 30 and into the lower section of the first portion 512 of therouting plate 50. From there, the first and second internal hydraulicpathways 90 and 91 run through the third portion 514, an upper sectionof the second portion 513 and into a body of the second hydrauliccomponent 40. The first and second internal hydraulic pathways 90 and 91then run through the body of the second component and into the oiltransfer tube 70 by way of hydraulic annuli 701. Passages within the oiltransfer tube 70 then rout hydraulic fluid to the propeller actuator.

The first interfacial pathways 510 include a pump drive interface 5101by which the RGB 20 and the first hydraulic component 30 aremechanically communicative with each other. The pump drive interface5101 extends from the RGB 20, through a second bore 502 defined in thefirst portion 512 of the routing plate 50 and into the first hydrauliccomponent 30 where the pump drive interface 5101 is coupled with thegear pump element 310. The second interfacial pathways 511 include alube oil supply pathway 5111. The lube oil supply pathway 5111 runs fromthe RGB 20, through the first portion 512 of the routing plate 50 andinto the first hydraulic component 30 where the lube oil supply pathwaycouples with the gear pump element 310.

As shown in FIG. 3, the routing plate 50 may further include sealingelements 56 and transfer tubes 57. The transfer tubes 57 are eachdisposed along one of the first and second internal hydraulic pathways90 and 91 at the interface between the first hydraulic component 30 andthe routing plate 50 at aft side 53. Each transfer tube 57 includes afirst portion 571 and a second portion 572. The first portion 571 issealably disposable in a recess formed in the aft side 53 of the routingplate 50 at the location of the corresponding one of the first andsecond internal hydraulic pathways 90 and 91. Similarly, the secondportion 572 is sealably disposable in a recess formed in the forwardside of the corresponding one of the first and second hydrauliccomponents 30 and 40 at the location of the corresponding one of thefirst and second internal hydraulic pathways 90 and 91. The sealingelements 56 may be provided as o-ring seals and are disposable betweenexterior surfaces of the first and second portions 571 and 572 andinterior surfaces of the recesses.

With the above noted arrangements of the sealing elements 56 and thetransfer tubes 57, in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5,it will be understood that the routing plate assembly 10 may includeabout four or five sets of sealing elements 56 and transfer tubes 57.That is, three sets may be respectively disposed at the three interfacesof the routing plate 50 and the first hydraulic component 30 along thefirst and second internal hydraulic pathways 90 and 91 and along a thelube oil supply pathway 5111 and two sets will be respectively disposedat the two interfaces of the routing plate 50 and the second hydrauliccomponent 40 along the first and second internal hydraulic pathways 90and 91.

In accordance with embodiments, an interior diameter of the transfertubes 57 may be similar to an interior diameter of a bore formed toextend through the routing plate 50 and the first and second hydrauliccomponents 30 and 40 to define the first and second internal hydraulicpathways 90 and 91. In accordance with further embodiments, as shown inFIG. 3, the interior diameter of the transfer tubes 57 may be slightlysmaller than the interior diameter of the bore formed to extend throughthe routing plate 50 and the first and second hydraulic components 30and 40 to define the first and second internal hydraulic pathways 90 and91. However, it is to be understood that similar respective diametersmay serve to minimize effects of hydraulic pressure drops.

While the disclosure is provided in detail in connection with only alimited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that thedisclosure is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, thedisclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of variations,alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretoforedescribed, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of thedisclosure. Additionally, while various embodiments of the disclosurehave been described, it is to be understood that the exemplaryembodiment(s) may include only some of the described exemplary aspects.Accordingly, the disclosure is not to be seen as limited by theforegoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A routing plate for hydraulic lines, the routingplate comprising: a forward side affixable to an aft gearbox surface; anaft side to which first and second hydraulic components are affixable;and a body extending between the forward and aft sides, the body beingformed to define: a first interfacial pathway by which the gearbox andthe first hydraulic component are communicative, a second interfacialpathway by which the gearbox and the first hydraulic component arecommunicative, and third interfacial pathways by which the first andsecond hydraulic components are communicative via the body.
 2. Therouting plate according to claim 1, wherein the forward and aft sidesare parallel.
 3. The routing plate according to claim 1, wherein thebody comprises: a first portion corresponding in location to a portionof the aft side to which the first hydraulic component is affixable; asecond portion corresponding in location to a portion of the aft side towhich the second hydraulic component is affixable; and a third portioninterposed between the first and second portions.
 4. The routing plateaccording to claim 3, wherein the first portion has a partiallyrectangular shape, the second portion has a partially rounded shape andthe third portion is tapered from the first to the second portion. 5.The routing plate according to claim 3, wherein the first interfacialpathways comprises a lube oil supply pathway running from the gearbox,through the first portion of the routing plate and into the firsthydraulic component.
 6. The routing plate according to claim 1, whereinthe second interfacial pathways comprises a pump drive interface runningfrom the gearbox, through the first portion of the routing plate andinto the first hydraulic component.
 7. The routing plate according toclaim 1, wherein the third interfacial pathways comprise hydraulicpathways running from the second hydraulic component, through thesecond, third and first portions of the routing plate and into the firsthydraulic component.
 8. The routing plate according to claim 1, wherein:the first interfacial pathway comprises a lube oil supply pathwayrunning from the gearbox, through the first portion of the routing plateand into the first hydraulic component, the second interfacial pathwaycomprises a pump drive interface running from the gearbox, through thefirst portion of the routing plate and into the first hydrauliccomponent, and the third interfacial pathways comprise hydraulicpathways running from the second hydraulic component, through thesecond, third and first portions of the routing plate and into the firsthydraulic component.
 9. The routing plate according to claim 1, furthercomprising a transfer tube disposed along one of the third interfacialpathways, the transfer tube comprising: a first portion sealablydisposable in the routing plate; and a second portion sealablydisposable in the first or second hydraulic component.
 10. A routingplate for hydraulic lines, the routing plate comprising: a forward sideaffixable to an aft gearbox surface of a gearbox; an aft side to whichfirst and second hydraulic components are affixable; and a bodyextending between the forward and aft sides, the body being formed todefine: a first interfacial pathways by which the gearbox and the firsthydraulic components are communicative, a second interfacial pathway bywhich the gearbox and the first hydraulic component are communicative,and third interfacial pathways by which the first and second hydrauliccomponents are communicative via the body, wherein the routing platefurther comprises: a rotatable propeller shaft; an oil transfer tube,which is extendible from the gearbox and into the second hydrauliccomponent; and a gas turbine engine configured to generate rotationalenergy transmittable to the rotatable propeller shaft by the gearbox todrive rotations of the rotatable propeller shaft.
 11. A routing platefor hydraulic lines, the routing plate comprising: a forward sideaffixable to an aft gearbox surface; an aft side to which first andsecond hydraulic components are affixable; a body extending between theforward and aft sides, the body being formed to define: a firstinterfacial pathways by which the gearbox and the first hydrauliccomponents are communicative, a second interfacial pathway by which thegearbox and the first hydraulic component are communicative, and thirdinterfacial pathways by which the first and second hydraulic componentsare communicative via the body; and a transfer tube disposed along oneof the third interfacial pathways, the transfer tube comprising a firstportion sealably disposable in the body and a second portion sealablydisposable in the first or second hydraulic component.